With a string of storms pushing wave heights well over twenty feet in Northern California towards the end of the year, surfers like myself are praying that Half Moon Bay will be a shelter that provides 'rideable' surf. Down in southern California and in Baja the conditions are impeccable, with hardly any of the local windy conditions affecting things down there.

Last week I was feeding on a buffet board of waves a different breaks, getting a feel for what it would be like if every Winter the dice rolls keep coming up 270, 270, 270! Here is a little sample platter of some of the images that I was able to capture before paddling out and feasting not just with my eyes but my soul.

My first few sessions were down south, at "The Stretch of Sand" with groins on either end, and at the "Ventura Overhead" outer reef. What an interesting session I had one afternoon a half mile out to sea. The finger-thin strip of reef that extends from the sandy beach out towards the Channel Islands creates an A-frame wedge bowl that seems to form out of thin air (or out of thin water, as would be more appropriate here).

There were four of us sitting way outside, with a couple of short boarders hanging inside and trying to scrap up on the leftovers. Professional surfer, waterman and all-around nice guy Chris Malloy was out there on his paddleboard. Standing on his paddleboard. Holding an oar in his hand. What was he doing out there you ask? Catching waves like the rest of us; except his 'hellman' experience makes 8 foot Ventura Overhead so "unchallenging" that he has to use his paddleboard and an oar to make it fun. In addition, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, and Sam George, editor of Surfer magazine, were the other surfers sharing waves with me.

Evidently, many of those who make a living in and around the surf industry were descending upon the Santa Barbara area in anticipation of the Big Wednesday (December 21st), and the days that would follow. This was the place to be on an otherwise blown-out, stormy state of California. Unless of course you were ready to pack up all the gear and head to Baja, but it was probably not as warm and beautiful with ample sunshine and blue skies.

More to come about this incredible Winter Solstice giant swell event in the next few articles stay tuned!

ER Harris